Junior Achievement of NEPA goes virtual

PITTSTON TWP. — Spurred by the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting evolution of regional educational systems, Junior Achievement of NEPA, Inc. has announced it is moving its highly effective work readiness and business leadership program from an in-person experience to a full-service online experience.

The redesigned Virtual Junior Achievement of NEPA will officially launch March 1, 2021, as the group looks to respond to the changing face of experiential learning by meeting students where they are.

Ginny Crake, President of Junior Achievement of NEPA, said JA will vacate its building in Pittston Township — the JA Mericle Family Center for Enterprise Education — that was built for the organization by Mericle Development. Another nonprofit will move into the building and occupy it year-round.

JA students, meanwhile, will be able to access JA courses and experiences from the safety of their homes, or in a group setting when students return to the classroom.

“There is no question that COVID-19 has changed education for our young people, and the safest, most effective way to reach them is by providing an engaging virtual experience,” Crake said. “In the past, students would come in groups to our JA facility in Pittston Township to learn about career options and financial literacy. Now, JA will come to them wherever they are and deliver the same interactive experiences in an educational format which they’ve adapted to over the past year.”

Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Inc. is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization that serves approximately 10,000 young people in kindergarten through twelfth grade each school year through its 24 in-school and capstone programs focused on three key content areas; entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness.

Crake said the JA online experience already features interactive resources for students, parents and teachers that can help young people explore career options, develop their resume, experiment with launching their own business, or learning the first steps to successful money management.

“The one thing that will evolve in our move to online programming is that we will no longer utilize the JA Mericle Family Center for Enterprise Education, which has been an incredible resource,” said Crake. “The physical space is no longer practical in delivering a great student experience while adhering to government guidelines for social distancing and safety. The good news is that the incredible relationship between Junior Achievement and the Mericle family and Mericle Commercial Real Estate, which has been a driving force in our success, will continue.”

She said student interaction will be advanced in the coming months with additional interactive features, including a highly realistic virtual career fair which will expand learning beyond the confines of the traditional Junior Achievement Center.

“We applaud Junior Achievement of NEPA for its ability to adapt to changing environments and for its leadership role in educating area children about career options and financial literacy,” said Mericle Vice President of Marketing Jim Cummings. “Mericle will continue to provide support to JA, including new office space for its staff. The building at 1122 Oak St. in Pittston Township will transition to another local 501(c)(3) non-profit, which will use the facility on a year-round basis to provide much needed services to our local communities.”